Turbulent Peace
by wounded warrior
Summary: post-dragonheir,it is the calm before the storm and Jack can feel it in his blood/the dragon must bekilled before longbranch can exturminate the warrior race and crushing the sancutary that many call home/sacrafices r made and paid blood/peace never lasts
1. Chapter 1

(A/N) I do not own the warrior heir. This takes place two weeks fallowing the siege of Trinity (ya know the big battle at the end of the Dragon heir. This story will be told from varying viewpoints. Changing view points as I see fit. Usually when I post fan fiction it's not a priority but I am making this one a priority that means I will be using spell check and taking more time with the chapters and trying to really write them well so R&R PLEASE!

Becca looked at the sleeping form, whose head rested in her son's lap. It had been two weeks since the battle and since she'd discovered whom her son really was. Ellen was still recovering. Who'd have thought, that her Jack could actually be… her thoughts trailed off at that point. She was thinking about a million things at once but was not able to grasp any of them. She sighed and then she smiled while pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes that were now looking her son right in the eye.

"What?" he asked, almost sarcastically.

"Nothing, I just can't even begin to grasp…." She paused momentarily and Jack nodded understanding. "I'm just glad everything turned out alright." Jack nodded again, after which his eyes returned to Ellen.

"So am I mom, so am I. We lost Jason but I think he went the way he wanted to go at least." He stopped, trying to choose his next words wisely.

"It's going to be weird, ya know having dad around again. I can't believe he and his girlfriend…"

"Wife now," said his mother chiming in.

"Right, well whatever she is, I can't believe they're moving down here, next door to us, I mean he has got some kind of nerve to think that he can just waltz back into this town and…" Jack stopped at that point and shock his head as his face reddened from the anger that had been building up since the first time his fathers sudden plan had been brought to his attention.

"Well, there are a lot of houses up for grabs right now, you know why. But not many of them are in one piece."

"Yeah, I know"

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Really mom? Really? You don't seriously think? That I would ever even consonsider; I can't believe you just asked that.

"Well, he is your father. Don't you think he has the right to know, before…" her voice trailed off.

"Before another band of wizards try to completely level Trinity? Hopefully that will be a good long while. Well now that I think about it maybe knowing the truth would send him and that whore back to whatever rock they crawled out from under." Stated Jack, with emphasis on the whore part.

"JACK WATCH YOUR LANGWADGE!!!!!!!!" Said his mother, trying not to laugh. "Well at least finally got married, besides I thought you'd be glad to meet…uh…err…you know your… um… siblings." stated his mother, who was quite obviously still in the process of trying to wrap her mind around the situation.

Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head. As if trying to keep Ellen indoors after a battle while trying to recover from his own injuries wasn't enough, his dad had chosen last week to suddenly revel the fact that Jack had siblings. Two in fact who were twin sixteen year olds. One boy and one girl. Jack scowled, his fathers timing could not have been worse. He was supposed to meet them all for diner that night at the dinner. He hated leaving Ellen alone.

She and Will had both been staying at his house while Wills house was having work done on the roof. Will was in the one of the guest bedrooms' while Ellen was in the other. He didn't mind having her there or Will either for that matter. He and his friends Will and Fitch and the rest had kept each other close, while trying to recuperating from the battle that could have very easily been the end of all of them. They all mourned Jason and Nick (A/N I'm pretty sure nick died of old age a few days after the battle right?) but at the same time rejoiced in the fact that no one else had been lost.

Ellen mermerd something in her sleep, stirring slightly. Jack elementally touched his hand to her forehead to make sure her fever had not returned. He let out a sigh of relief after discovering that it had not. He began stroking her hair gently finding that his anger was slowly melting away. She could do that to him so easily.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she sat up, only to curl up into Jack's welcoming arms, resting her head where his shoulder met his neck, before closing her eyes again; with one of her hands placed on Jacks' chest.

Becca found that she could not tear her gaze away from her son and the girl he held, protectively in his arms. He was a much better man than his father. He would never dream of harming Ellen physically or emotionally. She would probably be her daughter-in-law before too much more time passed. Becca chuckled slightly thinking about how cute their kids would be. Hopefully she wouldn't have grandchildren before they tied the not. They weren't currently engaged yet, the key word they're being yet. They are the last know warriors and they were in love. Jack had mentioned that Ellen could have killed him once, and Becca was curios as to what the details were on that whole a fare, but it probably would be better if she let things calm down a bet before she went prying. She definitely did not want Jack to start keeping secrets again and prying was definitely the right way to get him to clam up.

Jack looked down at the girl he held in his arms. She looked so defenseless, so breakable. But she wasn't, not Ellen, not ever. She only ever looked venerable in her sleep and that scarcely ever happened.

The grandfather clock chimed, startling Jack and waking him from his thoughts suddenly. It startled Ellen as well, more so than Jack, because she hoped up and acted as though she were going to unsheathe the waymaker from it's scabbard, but in finding it was not there, she began to blush profusely.

"Just the clock." Said Becca in a quiet caring, and reassuring voice. The last few months' events had left their toll on everyone. At Becca's words Ellen took a seat next to Jack on the couch.

A crocked smile played across Jacks' lips.

"Shut it Jack." Said Ellen elbowing him in ribs playfully.

"Ow" Jack said very sarcastically. It actually did hurt slightly, on the count of the fact that Jack was much more banged up than he cared to admit to the public. The public being anyone other than herself.

"That didn't hurt." Replied Ellen, while laughter danced in her brown eyes. Jack winked at her, with his crooked grin still clinging to his lips.

"Well Jack you'd probably had better get going." Said his mother, hating to interrupt their moment but he really didn't need to keep his father…and "company" waiting much longer.

"Yeah I would hate to miss…. That little (insert insult of choice here) fondling dad and his little bastards."

"JACK WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU ABOUT WATCHING YOUR LANGWAGE!!!!," his mother half shouted at him.

"Sure what ever." Replied Jack dryly. I'll try to keep it in check while I'm in front of the bit…

"JACK!"

"Ok, ok. I'll go change my shirt and then go."

Said Jack in his slightly defeated tone as he headed upstairs. Ellen had only met his dad once, and it wasn't really a conversation. She hadn't liked him though. Being the skilled warrior that she was, she knew how to read people somewhat easily and quickly. She did not pick up any good vibes from him.

"He really hates him doesn't he?" Said Jacks mom, breaking the moment of silence. It was more of a statement then a question really but Ellen felt that it was generally directed toward her so she felt inclined to answer her anyway.

"I don't think Jack hates anyone who isn't in league with the Roses." She paused a moment and then said in the most understanding voice possible "I think he feels discussed by what his father did and for the last few years he has been able to physically fight threw his problems but he is going to have to fight this differently and I think that's what he's frustrated about. Also he's still feeling the battle, he doesn't show it but emotionally he's a wreck, he hated killing all those people even though he knew he had to do it. He'll be ok once he can start training again, it's not natural for a warrior to stay out of the field for this long of a time." Public speaking, even when it was just Jacks mom was not something she had ever been fond of, much less good at, but hey she should get brownie points for trying right? Ellen thought to her self.

"I didn't think about that."

Ellen just shrugged as she noticed Jack coming back down the stares. He was wearing a white tank top that had BAMF stamped across the chest in red along with his leather jacket. It was a little breezy out but not cold. Ellen knew the real reason for wearing it though. He was sure to have a knife up is sleeve and he probable had a dagger hidden away in his right boot.

He looked good. He always did though. The smile he had worn earlier was long forgotten on his features and now he wore a series expression. The expression that he wore before a fight.

"Don't wait up guys." Said Jack as he looked back over his shoulder on his way out the door.

(A/N) - that is so much fun to put there!!! I feel so official!!!!!!!! Hey how do you get a beta reader? If anyone has read my story before they know how badly I need one. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! (the song that never ends is now playing in ur head!) It will stop only if u review!!! Cuz people I really did use spell check!


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N) I now have a beta reader yeah!!!!! That means no more spelling mistakes! Thank u ****Korean Boron-Paper Stars!**

Many things were eating away at Leesha Middleton's mind as she pulled into a convenience store parking lot. She breathed slowly, but it was not enough to keep her body from shaking violently, although it was not from the cold. Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what to hope for. Hope - a funny thing, hope, something she hadn't thought about in a long time. At that moment she didn't know what she wanted.

The truth was that she did know what she wanted and how to get it. But in order to get it, she would have to kill herself. She wouldn't do that though, she had too much pride for that. She shut off the car's engine and, with shaky hands, put her keys in her purse. Anyone who didn't know her would have thought that she was a druggie, but she would never touch the stuff. She wouldn't mess with the flame either. She had tried it a few times, but that was before - before she had had anything to loose other than her own sorry hide. She needed something to fight for, something worth living for.

Leesha reached for the car door handle, hesitating. "You've got nothing to lose," she told herself under her breath. She then opened the door and stood up, a little wobbly at first, but as she moved forward she shook it off. She moved toward the automatic doors and stepped inside the store.

"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?" asked a salesclerk. Leesha shook her head. "Let me know if I can help you with anything," the young man said, looking hopeful.

"Thanks anyway," Leesha replied. Truthfully, she did need help. But when you're a high school girl you just didn't go around asking guys where the pregnancy tests were kept.

Uh o….. someone is prego…. Jason was one of my favorite characters so I felt inclined for him to leave a legacy behind. He had no family left so I felt the need to give him one, even if he's dead. But what should it be a boy or girl? Tell me when you review! I know that this was a short chapter, the next one will be longer I promise! R&R PLEASE!


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N) I do not own the heir trilogy…. Wish I did though… :P

All around Jack the city was bustling. The streetlights glowed brightly and the streets themselves seemed to glisten in the wake of the crescent moon. It was a bright night, the stars seeming almost reachable. The constellation Orion, the mighty hunter, glowed brightest of all, putting both the Big Dipper and the moon to shame. Jack sighed, enjoying the stillness of the moment. The tranquility was broken by the hand that came down on his shoulder. Jack almost jumped out of his skin.

"What's got you so spooked?" asked his father, laughing as he did so.

Jack shrugged and shook his head, slightly annoyed at his father's laughter. He couldn't expect him to understand, he'd never be able to. Not in a million years, not even if he explained the whole thing to him. He'd probably do the same thing he'd always done when Jack had tried to tell him something important: just laugh in his face. Jack truly wasn't interested in dealing with that, and he definitely didn't want to admit that he'd killed people. It wasn't innocent blood that he had on his hands, but it was blood all the same. He felt dirty just thinking about it.

"The stars are always so bright here. You can barely see them at all in Boston," his father stated.

"Yeah, they are," Jack said, not knowing what else to say. So far, the night had gone surprisingly well. In all honesty he had missed having his father around. He was still mad at him - more like furious - for what he had put his mother through, for what he was still putting his mother through.

That was a talk that he and his father needed to have. Jack needed to know; he needed to know why his father had started running around when he was only two. He needed to know why his father had left. Were he and his mother not worth sticking around for? It was not going to be a father-son bonding talk, it would be a man-to-man kind of talk. But Jack would put off having it for the time. Things were just too peaceful at the moment, and Jack had never been one to conjure up a storm.

"We should go sailing this weekend, if you're up to it," his father brought up.

"Sounds good," Jack responded. "Listen, I'm sorry, but I've got to go home. There's a new curfew."

"You're eighteen now. That shouldn't apply anymore."

"Recent events have caused it to be raised to twenty-one, but it's just temporary. Until everything is sorted out."

"Oh, okay. Well, in that case, I'll see you," said his father as he walked off towards the car that held his new family.

Jack had told his father the truth for the most part, he had just left out a few details. It was true that he did need to get home and that there was a curfew, but the curfew didn't really apply to him. The police force of Trinity had been briefed on what had really happened two weeks ago. That had been the most interesting meeting that Jack hoped he would ever have to attend. When Will's dad had explained the events that had really taken place, the response ran from laughter to shock to a few who that didn't look the least bit surprised. The laughter had been followed by an unreeling silence, and then awed expressions as Jack unsheathed his sword and Seph made fire sprout from his fingertips. The majority of the men in the audience were whom Jack had grown up around. They had all waited for the punch line, the "I gotcha" moment, but it never came.

"You aren't kidding, are you?" one man had asked.

Jack had shaken his head before saying, "Believe me, I wish we were," in a solemn tone.

The Weir did patrols every night, checking the Weirwall mainly but also keeping an eye out for unwelcome visitors. They had all become slightly paranoid - make that extremely paranoid. It was his and Seph's turn that night. Jack sighed, running his fingers through his overgrown hair. He needed a haircut, but he'd worry about that later. Right now, he needed to get home and pick up Shadowslayer and then meet Seph at the church.

On the ride home he left all the windows down, with the air conditioner off and the radio blaring. The band Three Days Grace's "Animal I Have Become" was playing. He could relate to the song somewhat, though he wasn't an animal. He had only done what he had to do in order to protect the people he loved and the town he grew up in. The town he hoped to grow old in. If he could go back in time, to his sophomore year, and tell himself what he knew now, he wouldn't believe it. He'd be lying if he said that the weight of Shadowslayer in his palm didn't feel right, or that killing didn't come naturally to him. He'd be lying if he said that there wasn't a rush. But he wished for all the world that killing wouldn't be so easy for him, that if he was lucky he would never have to kill again. But that was just the thing, Jack was usually never lucky, and he would be lying if he said that he believed it was all over and that the danger had passed.

THX 2 everyone who has reviewed! If you enjoy reading this story please review! I am having a blast writing this, it's so much fun! So who should I kill off first? Jkjkjkjk


	4. Chapter 4

Gravel flew as Jack pulled his Subaru into the driveway and brought it to a screeching halt. He had been going much faster than he had thought. Turning off the headlights, he put it into park. The familiar roar of the engines dulled as he took his keys out of the ignition. Suddenly, the world seemed quieter as he stepped out into the crisp night air. He was going to have to get used to the silence again, he supposed.

Sometimes, he thought he was going crazy because wherever he went, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. His father was right - he was jumpy. At first, he had taken that feeling very seriously, drawing Shadowslayer or pulling his knife out at the slightest rustle of leaves, but now he had settled down a little.

Eventually, he passed the feeling off as the lingering effect that the war had had on him. But there was a part of Jack that still held onto the suspicion that something was out there. That subconscious line of thought was what kept him up for hours at night. That way of thinking had kept him alive this long, and without it he would have died long ago. Not just him, but his family and friends as well.

As he approached the front door, he quickly looked around before unlocking it and going inside. Little did he know how right his suspicions would be.

He flipped on the living room light switch to find Ellen asleep on the couch. He smiled despite himself, deciding that it couldn't hurt to carry her up the stairs before he left to go on his patrol with Seph. As he scooped her up, he was very careful not to wake her since chances were that she was getting even less sleep than he had been. She was surprisingly light. The last time he carried her bridal style, he had been carrying her off the battlefront and had truly believed her to be dead. Then, she had felt extremely heavy; compared to then, she felt lighter than a feather. He shuddered at the memory as he laid her down on her bed and pulled the covers over her.

He brushed her overly long bangs aside and bent down, lightly kissing her forehead before turning off the light and shutting the door.

-

Three hours later, Jack laid on top of the covers of his bed, the night's events still playing over and over again in his head, repeating like an old, worn out broken record. Nothing had gone right, he was shocked at the news he had just received.

_  
As Jack pulled into the churchyard, Seph stood from where he had been sitting. He had been leaning against the building's worn bricks with a lighted cigarette in his hands. When he looked up and saw Jack, he adamantly threw it to the ground and stomped it out with his foot. Jack had gotten out of the car and shook his head disapprovingly._

"One addition to another, Seph?" he had asked, hoping it was nicotine.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Jack," Seph had replied in a mocking tone.

"Does it look like I'm laughing to you?" Irritation and concern for his cousin was present in Jack's voice.

"Calm down, Jack, it's legal," Seph said, now picking up on what Jack's assumption had been.

"It'd better be," was Jack's only reply.

"I've got news from my parents."

"Really? They find anything useful at the Ghyll?"

"Useful to Ellen, maybe," Seph replied.

Jack's eyes widened at the mention of his girlfriend's name, his interest had now been officially sparked. "She already has one of the seven great blades, as I do. What could they have found that she could find useful that's not a sword?" Jack had asked, half smirking and half trying to mask his curiosity. But it was written in his eyes, there was no use hiding it now.

"Her Weirbook."

"Oh," he had replied hoarsely. He wasn't even sure Seph had heard him.  


Jack sighed. This was good news, really good news for Ellen. Her Weirbook would tell her anything she wanted to know about her past. Such as who her parents were, for example.

* * *

So what do u all think? I won't know unless you TELL ME! So R&R PLEASE! I can't tell everyone how much I am enjoying writing this. I know it's slow going and the chapters are short, but hang in there I am going somewhere with this I promise! :p


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N) 14 reviews so far…. This is off to a good star, sorry for the long wait and short chapter (I've had bearly tenough time to breath muchless write, if ur in highschool hey ya know wat I'm talking about)

, this is a girl chapter just heads up people it's all leesha and ellen

I did some artwork for this story and if u want to check it out here is the link!

.com/art/Turbulent-PeaceCOVER-156438019

If any of the onlookers had seen her, they would have never known that anything was wrong - or even the slightest bit out of the ordinary. At first glance, she appeared to be a beautiful eighteen year old girl with long, flowing brown hair, dark eyes, and a near perfect body. It would have seemed as if she were just another pretty woman about to take her first steps on her own, but Leesha Middleton had taken those steps long ago.

She was able to get by just fine on her own. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, all by herself. But she wasn't sure if she would be capable of taking care of someone else, much less a baby. She was going to be a mother. Gulping at the thought, she shook her head and as she ran, as someone who was trying to forget an especially painful memory or nightmare would.

She was still in high school - well, almost out of it, seeing as graduation was in a few weeks, but still! Leesha knew what people would say: "Did your mother teach you nothing?" But the answer to that would be that her mother taught her a lot of things. Her mother had taught her how to hate. It always had been her and her mother, as she had never really had a father. Then, her mother had kicked her out of the house when she'd found out that her daughter could use "witchcraft," claiming that Leesha must have been damned from birth. Leesha had moved in with her uncle and his wife when they moved to Trinity - she had been nine at the time. They had posed as her parents.

Leesha slowed to a stop as she neared the graveyard. Suddenly, she was out of breath, but at least she knew why. She looked up at the jogger who had passed her.

"Ellen?"

"Oh, hey, Leesha. I didn't see you there."

"Jack's letting you out of the house now?" Leesha asked.

Ellen was supposed to be still recovering. What was she doing out and about? Maybe she had already fully recovered from her near death experience. Leesha didn't think that even a warrior could heal quite that fast. Leesha assumed that it was probably just like Ellen to not be kept under the weather for long. Leesha did know a thing or two about warriors from the time she had spent working within the Trade. She shuddered. The reason that there weren't many left wasn't just because of the game, the Trade had also contributed greatly to the declining numbers. She had heard horror stories of warriors who had been left in the barracks for too long. They went insane. She had seen it happen once. It wasn't a pleasant memory. At the time, she hadn't cared; but now, all that had changed.

"He ... well, he doesn't exactly know," Ellen said. "I'm fine. Really, I am. But you know Jack. He can be annoyingly protective sometimes. He doesn't quite get the caged bird feeling."

"Yeah." Leesha swallowed. "Lucky him." She definitely understood Ellen's restlessness, and she was starting to feel a little nauseous.

Ellen stared at her. "Are you feeling okay? You look kind of pale." When Leesha's hand went to her stomach, Ellen raised an eyebrow.

"My stomach's been acting weird lately, but I'll be okay," Leesha replied. She was trying to sound confident, but failing miserably.

"Okay, then," Ellen said. "Well, I have to run before I get caught out and about."

Leesha nodded at the other girl's words, taking the hint that the warrior desperately needed some time alone, so she turned and continued her run through the graveyard at full pace, as if trying to convince herself that she was going to be all right. She didn't hear Ellen saying to her that she'd dropped something.

One good thing about having lived under the watchful eyes of the Roses was that Ellen had developed a talent for reading people. But it wouldn't take a genius to tell that either something was up with Leesha or that the wizard was up to something. Ellen reached down to pick up whatever it was that Leesha had dropped. She'd take it by Leesha's place later. Ellen sighed. At least it would give her an excuse to get out of the house.

Then, it hit her - like a ton of bricks, what it was that Leesha had dropped. Leesha wasn't up to anything. She was pregnant.

Ellen wasn't sure why she was so surprised. Just because she had made the decision to wait and Jack had respected her choice, it didn't mean that Leesha had made the same choice that she had.

So yeah she's prego (but I think every one already knew that) anyhow now Ellen knows… this is gonna be fun… :p R&R PLEASE


	6. Chapter 6

(A/N I just love writing the fic! The charecters are sooooo much fun. That chap is told from my created OC, btw, anyway without further ado chapter 6!)

Eric Stephenson sighed as he shoved a faded childhood picture into his pocket and slowly continued down the hallway that marked the exit to the Cleveland airport. He would have to catch a bus to Trinity, and he had heard that buses in America were different from the ones in England. Not that he had seen much of England other than what he had glimpsed from the Trade's underground auctions. His back hurt just thinking about it. Seers brought a high price, so he had been kept in at least decent health. But he wouldn't dwell on those things now. He would focus on the present, not the past or the future. He needed to focus on getting to the Sanctuary and finding Ellen.

Ellen - now there was something to dwell on - surely wouldn't recognize him ... would she? She hadn't even been five when the Trade had found them and separated them. Ellen had been sold to the Red Rose early on while he had been sold back and forth, so to speak. Before the famous battle at Trinity, he had been Longbranch's personal pet, as referred to as by the other seers. But he wasn't her pet. Pets were taken care of and loved. No, he had been one of her many Anawizard slaves. Forced to tell her all he saw of what her future would hold.

He guessed that she now knew that he had lied, seeing as she had lost the battle and everything. After he had seen her demise, he and the others waited and bided their time before they too rebelled. Longbranch, of course, had not been there at the time, but he had stuck around long enough to know that for her the war was not over. For her, it had only just begun. Eric needed to find his sister, not only for the joy of seeing her but also to warn her.

It would take him a few hours to get to Trinity, but that wasn't the problem. He was almost certain that the Sanctuary was still under lockdown, which meant that he would have to convince whoever was on guard duty that he was on their side. He had a feeling that it would be Jack that he ran into. Eric knew his name because in the visions he had seen of his sister, she always smiled after saying Jack's name. Jack wouldn't trust him, though - not at first, anyway. But he would grow to trust him.

In all truth, when he tried to look into his sister's future, he wouldn't see much. He saw a white dress and he saw her holding two children, a boy and a girl. But in this vision there was never a man present, it was always just her.

(A/N Ellen will NOT become pregnant in this fic **not in the plan anyway** I just wanted to add a cliffy! so watcha think…. Should I keep writing or call it quitz? Jk btw I never quit… ok that's a lie) **R&R people please!**


	7. Chapter 7

(A/N SOOOOOOO sorry for the gap between updates…. But you will be pleased to know the next chap is already being written/ heads up tho there will be big gaps between chaps because I only get internet on the weekends….

Ellen sighed as she stepped into the shower. The hot water felt good and it helped ease her sore and overly tense muscles, but it did not make thinking any easier. One main thought echoed through her mind: Leesha was pregnant.

Why was she worrying about it? Leesha was not her problem. Leesha had, at one time, tried to take Jack away. But then again, Ellen herself had almost intentionally killed Jack, so she couldn't really hold it against Leesha. God knew she'd made plenty of mistakes too. When one makes a decision, no matter how small or reckless, one either reaps the benefits or suffers the consequences. She had chosen to not end Jack's life, and their refusal to fight had in turn started a war.

The annoying buzz of Jack's alarm clock could be heard over the gentle hum of the shower. Ellen was using the shower that was in Jack's room, since the guest room didn't have one. Most girls that she knew from school would have been horrified at the idea of having to share a bathroom with anyone, much less a boy. Ellen had become used to having her own, when she had stayed with Will, but she wasn't going to complain. There had been a few rumors going around that she was now staying with Jack, but rumors failed to shock her anymore. They had been flying around school when people found out that she was living with Will. Both Will and Jack had put a quick end to them, however, and people soon found better things to waste their time gossiping about.

When she had returned from the Raven's Ghyll ... well, let's just say that it was hard for her to explain. She was alive and she had been grateful for that. For the first time in her life, she had something to live for - whereas before, she had been taught that her entire existence and gift revolved around death.

Of course, the peace hadn't lasted very long. But when the fighting had started up again, it was different than it had been before. Up to the battle at Raven's Ghyll, Ellen had been training and fighting for someone else, for no other reason other than because someone had told her to. When the war began, she fought because she chose to. She chose to fight for all those who stood beside her, because she had something to live for and didn't want it taken from her. Or maybe she had simply fought because she was a warrior and the will to survive was embedded in her blood.

No, she hadn't fought to merely survive, Ellen realized with a shake of her head, she had fought to live.

She turned off the water, missing the heat immediately. It was time to face the world again. As Ellen pulled the shower curtain back, she realized that - unfortunately for her - she had forgotten to bring her clothes with her to the bathroom. Ellen cursed under her breath. She'd just have to wait until Jack went downstairs before making a run for her room. She didn't have to wait long, though, as she heard his door slam shut. Waiting a few seconds, just to be safe, she wrapped a towel around herself and stepped outside the door.

Ellen looked up and came to the unfortunate realization that the door she had heard shutting was not Jack leaving the room, but someone else entering it. A shirtless Jack stood with a semi-shocked expression on his face. His arms, which had been crossed, were now dropped by his sides. Another boy whom she didn't recognize stood in front of Jack's door, his mouth curled into a smirk as he leered at her body from head to toe. Although her towel covered her, it didn't hide nearly as much of her as she would have liked. Jack probably had never seen this much of her, much less a total stranger. She could feel her cheeks heating up and knew her face was probably bright red. She took a moment to compose herself, and began walking towards the door.

"Good morning, Jack," Ellen said, trying to keep her voice at its normal tone. "Okay, dude, I don't know who you are, but I do know that you're gonna have to move, right now," she warned the stranger.

The boy cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Now why would I want to do that?" he replied, in a very flirtatious manner.

"Because if you don't you'll wind up on the ground," Ellen threatened.

He moved out of her way, but added, "Feisty one, aren't you?"

It took all of Ellen's self-control to not turn around and turn his personal lights out for good, but she took comfort in the fact that whoever he was he had probably just made an enemy out of Jack. And Jack was not someone anyone would want as their enemy. She looked back, and out of the corner of her eye saw Jack close the door, blocking the boy's view of her. She wished she had continued to watch where she was going because, as if the morning hadn't been embarrassing enough, she had literally run into Will. Ellen looked up at him and saw that his eyes were shut.

"Not what it looks like, right Ellen?" Will asked, almost laughing.

"Depends on what it looks like," she said. "If it looks like Ellen is having a bad morning, and is now on the war path, even if she's just dressed in a towel, then yes, it would be exactly what it looks like." The tension that had been so thick in the air was suddenly and surprisingly broken. Once she was in her room with the door closed tightly behind her, she yelled, "You can open your eyes now, I'm out of the hall!"

Will opened his eyes and smirked. He had an older sister, and when she had moved out of the house Ellen had moved in. He knew from personal experience that if one caught a woman in a towel, one did not, under any circumstances, stare. Unless, of course, one had a death wish.

Jack's step brother had come over because Jack had been given the task of showing him around Trinity. Will assumed that he had just seen Ellen wearing nothing but a towel. Boys were boys, and girls in towels ... well, the two usually mixed in only one way. He wasn't sure if Jack had ever seen that much of her. But what Jack and Ellen did or didn't do in bed was their business, not his. Will sighed. He supposed he should probably go in there and make sure Jack's brother, Sam, was still in one piece.

He opened the door to catch the words, "Dude, chill out, man, I was just looking at her. I'm not out to try and steal anybody's girlfriend. But, hey, when you're done with her let me know, will you?"

Jack flexed his lower arm and his hand formed a tight fist. "Not another word, Sam. This isn't your house, and it sure isn't your hometown. I don't know what kind of people you're used to dealing with in Boston, but if you want to make it out of here alive, you probably should think about showing a little more respect," Jack stated as calmly as he could, without ramming the kid's head into the wall. It was tempting, but he really didn't want to have to clean up the mess.

"Yeah, sure, Jack. I'll do that because Trinity is totally the definition of 'hood.' " Sam snapped back, letting his cockiness show.

Jack advanced towards Sam, but Will stepped in front of him and faced Sam. "Let me explain it a little more simply. But first, do you ever think you might want kids someday?"

Sam looked very confused, but he answered anyway. "Yeah, I guess someday, maybe. Why?"

"Well, you see, Ellen has lived with my family and me for two years now, and she's like a little sister to me, and she is also Jack's girlfriend. If you haven't noticed, Jack and I, we're both bigger than you. So if I were you, I'd shut up about her. I wouldn't even look at her if I were you because between Jack and me ... well, we can make sure you're never physically capable of having children," Will said seriously.

Sam simply stared back and Will and opened his mouth, as if he meant to make some kind of a smart remark, but then he looked at Jack and shut his mouth. It was the first smart thing he'd done all morning.

"You'd probably better go," Jack said, but Sam just stood motionless. "Now."

"Uh, yeah, you guys have school, so, yeah ... I need to go," Sam babbled, nervously, as he left the room.

Will turned to Jack, who was shaking his head. "Gotta love your family, Jack," Will said sarcastically.

"Tell me about it," Jack replied as he searched his drawers for a shirt. By the time he had found one and put it on, Will had left and he was in his room alone.

It had been quite an eventful morning. He had seen his girlfriend in a towel and almost killed his newly acquainted stepbrother, all within about ten minutes. Ellen was capable of taking care of herself, but to have someone else staring at her in that way was enough to make his blood boil.

_Math homework ... crap, I probably should have done that,) Jack thought. Oh, well, not the end of the world. He still probably should have done it though. Recovering from what had almost been the end of the world as he knew it was not an excuse for bad grades in math, according to his mother._

Jack grabbed his backpack and headed for Ellen's room. He knocked on her door and was answered by a, "Yeah?"

"It's Jack, you decent?" he asked, half laughing.

"Yeah. Come on it."

He opened the door and saw Ellen in her blue Trinity soccer T-shirt and blue jeans. Her brown hair was still wet and unbrushed. She looked beautiful, as always.

"Sorry about him," Jack said, almost flatly, as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Ellen nodded. "Who was that anyway?"

"My new brother. Apparently, I'm supposed to be hospitable or something ... not sure I remember how to be, but after that I'm definitely not going to be."

"I can take care of myself. You know that, right?"

"Yes, Ellen, I know." Jack paused as he moved forward, so that he was standing right in front of her. "But, it would be nice to be the knight in shining armor for once."

Ellen then reached up with her right hand, allowing it to move up his chest before coming to rest on the nape of his neck. "You're not my knight in shining armor, I've never had any real use for those. You're something much better."

"Really? And what might that be?" Jack whispered as he rested his forehead against hers.

"You're my warrior," Ellen replied softly into his ear before she kissed his cheek. She let go of him completely and began to walk away, but she didn't get far before Jack grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against him with a small amount of force, but not enough to be rough.

"Sounds good to me," he muttered, then he kissed her softly before deepening the kiss. He ran his hands through her wet hair. She smelled like flowers, but then again she always did. Even when he had carried her off the battlefront, he could remember everything from that moment so vividly and the thought of it caused him to pull her closer.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They do NOT have sex…. Btw….. big thanx again to my beta reader! Any how if you liked the chap review! Plse! ttfn


	8. Chapter 8

Madison Moss was packing up from her hotel room - located in a small town near Trinity - and preparing to continue the long drive to Chicago. She would be taking summer courses during the majority of the summer. Seph would also be attending college in Chicago as well, just not the same one as her and not until the fall semester. He had told her that he wanted to go with her, but figured that he should stay in Trinity for the summer in case something went wrong with the barrier.

She was going to miss her siblings, but they would be okay without her ... at least, she hoped they would. Seph had promised to check on them every once in a while. Grace and J.C. both loved Seph, as did her mother. But everyone loved him, including Madison. Seph just had that effect on people. Madison loved looking at him, drawing him, hugging him and kissing him, but most of all she loved being held by him. They had gone through several scary times together, but they had stayed just that - together - in one piece.

Opposites attract, like opposite sides of magnets. She was an elicitor and he was a wizard. He was a soldier in many ways whereas she was an artist. Some would say that they were an unlikely couple if there had ever been one. Madison laughed out loud at that though. There had been a time when she, too, would never have believed that she would one day be his girlfriend. Witch Boy, that was what she had called him.

Madison McCauley ... that was what people would be calling her before much longer. Seph had proposed three weeks ago, but they had agreed that it would be best to let the waters settle before they told everyone about their engagement. Life was good. She had always loved life, but now it seemed so much sweeter.

Things had definitely taken a drastic turn for the better lately. Her mother was working a better job. Instead of being a waitress at the restaurant, she was managing it. She was able to afford a babysitter, which freed Madison's schedule tremendously. Not to mention that she was still in one piece after the Siege of Trinity, as the battle had come to be called. The city had not been completely leveled, as had been the expected outcome. The people of Trinity had become used to the news reporters roaming around, having been given free reign of the town. Many small gothic cults, all of which were completely harmless, had their own theory of what exactly had happened in the small - and up until recently -quiet town of Ohio. They believed that a battle between the positive and negative auras of nature had occurred. In shorter and understandable terms, a battle between the forces of good and evil. The rest of the American public had publicly made them into a laughingstock. However, a small group in the city, including the local police force, knew the truth. The cults' theory was not a laughing matter, it was closer to the correct theory than any normal member of the public had managed to think up.

Seph was still very jumpy and he still had the shakes from quitting the flame cold turkey. He believed the war was over, but Jack could not hide the fact that he disagreed. Jack had not spoken of it to anyone, but Ellen said that she could tell. Ellen had told her that she hoped, for everyone's sake, that Jack was wrong. Ellen trusted Jack, more than anyone else in the world. But she madly wanted peace more than anyone else Madison knew because it had been something she had never truly known or understood.

Madison was pulled from the wandering thoughts by a knock on her door. She looked at the clock. Checkout was at eleven, or at least that was what she had thought, but it was only nine in the morning. She opened the door without caution, immediately regretting her actions. Standing in the doorway was a blond with icy eyes whom she had seen twice before and had hoped to never see again. She didn't have time to react, much less scream. Madison felt a sharp pain and an electric shock run through her neck and she hit the floor, hard. Her consciousness was fading fast, but she was awake enough to hear the sound of a gun being fired before her mind faded into unknown impenetrable darkness.

(A/N) well a lot of people seemed to want Maddy ….. to b put into this story….. *** puts on flame proof clothing *** ok flame away folks…. I have yet to decide if she dies or not… so should we put it to a vote? Cuz im game either way people you decide….. that means review…. Pretty please? Oh and btw if there r any fellow avatar (the last airbender) fans reading this there is going to be a fallow up series… message me if you would like the link


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N) Sorry for the long wait… yeah the really long wait…. Writers block pus highschool…. What can I say? Yeah I know no excuses… so this chapter takes place four days before the last chapter….

(Four days earlier)

Ellen woke with a start and, for a moment, didn't remember where she was. She examined her surroundings carefully and then realized she was back at Will's house. That was right - the events of the previous night hit her.

Her brother was alive and he was in Trinity. She hadn't ever told Jack that she had a brother. So she could only imagine Jack's shock when Eric had come through the barrier and told him who he was. She almost didn't believe it. Ellen had thought that she had lost him. When Jack had walked into the kitchen and told her that someone was claiming to be her brother, she had dropped the glass she had been holding. It had hit the ground, shattering into hundreds of tiny shards, but it hardly phased her.

Jack had been frustrated with her, she knew. He was happy for her, but weary at the same time. She had embraced her brother, knocking the wind out him. His body had changed, but that was expected seeing as the last time she had seen him was when he was five. His hair had been cut short and the brand of the red rose was imprinted on his shoulder. Yes, he looked different, but his eyes were the same gentle green.

"Y-you … you're alive," Ellen choked. "But how? I saw them kill you." At this point she was sobbing on his shoulder.

"You saw only what they intended you to see, Elli."

"I haven't been called that in a long time, a very long time." With that, she smiled through the tears, glad that she had some family left.

Erik had told his story and it all seemed to add up, according to Jack. His mother had, of course, invited Eric to stay with them but it turned out that he was staying with another seer in downtown Trinity named James whom he had met in dealings with the Trade. By the end of the night, Jack attempted to act as if he fully trusted him, but Ellen knew that Jack was holding back his doubts temporarily for her sake. For that, she was very grateful. As he was leaving, however, Jack shook his hand. Jack shook people's hands as a sign of respect and Ellen knew that it was never something he did simply for show.

_  
(flash back)  
"Ellen, why didn't you ever mention him to me?" Jack asked after Eric had left.

"I don't know. It just was so long ago … I mean, there has always been so much death around us anyway, without digging up bones you thought were already buried."

Jack had then taken her in his arms and kissed her forehead lightly. "Well, are there any more buried bones walking around that I might need to know about?" Jack asked teasingly.

"Not that I know of," Ellen said with a small laugh. "It's not something I meant to keep secret from you, I just… " The rest of her sentence was cut off when Jack kissed her softly.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Ellen, just be careful ok?" Jack sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close and bringing his head to rest against hers. "I almost lost you once, don't make me go through that again," he said so quietly that she could barely hear him.

"I can't promise you that Jack." She paused, considering her words. "We're warriors, Jack. I know you've been right about this war, about it not being over. Eric, he confirmed all of our fears tonight. But this war will never end for us really. Maybe it will for the rest of the underguilds, but not for us, because we started this. There are many who love us for that but there are those who will always hate us for that, and because of them there will always be a bounty on our heads ... there will never be a safe place for us. Let's face it, we aren't any good at staying safe, we're good at finding trouble but not peace."

"I don't need to try and find peace or trouble Ellen."

"Why?"

"Because I'm looking plenty of both in the eye."

Jack said before kissing her forehead softly.

"May I walk you home?" Jack asked. Ellen nodded. She could read his thoughts as if they were playing out in front of her. Each second they had left, each second that they still had each other, from that night forward was a gift, and Jack was going to do his very best to take advantage of each moment and each breath. She felt the same and so she allowed him to take her hand and lead her to Wills' house, the place she had come to call home.

Ellen smiled. Yes, the previous night had brought good and bad tidings but her brother was alive and Jack ... well, he was still and always would be Jack. There was another fight coming and they would face it.

She was getting breakfast with Eric that morning, so with great reluctance she got up. At least with a fight coming, Jack couldn't keep her in the house any longer. They would be training that afternoon. She was looking forward to it. She hungered to hold her blade in her hand; to hear the music of steel on steel.

yep so there ya go another chapter…. Not very long but please be kind and review anyway….


	10. Chapter 10

(A/N) sorry for the EXTREMELY LONG wait… yeah between high school and theater, (I'm currently playing the role of Boudicca in our performance of Movement House btw) I haven't had much time to breath much less write… anyhow…. This Chapter takes place on the same day as the last one…. I know there was a climactic chapter about Madison a few chapters back and just so everyone's clear I am working back up to that. And really folks no opinions on whether she lives or dies. Anyhow just some basic Jack/Ellen fluff in this chapter and at least 2 things foreshadowing events in the next few chapters.

Jack Swift POV (Same day as the previous chapter)

He could hear the birds chirping and arguing amongst themselves, as dawns' first light was starting to break. His early morning jog that he took always was a good way to start the day, and a good way to clear his head. The path along the sidewalk that he took wound it's way past the Old Catholic church and through the park into the backwoods where he and Ellen were fond of sparring, among other things. Hastings always said that a good long run was the best way to get your blood running in the morning. Jack disagreed; Ellen was the best way to get his blood running, and the best way to take his breath away.

He had fallen in love with a girl his sophomore year, and had almost gotten himself killed in the process. As it turned out the red rose had wanted them both alive for a "breeding program", as Ellen had put it. The thought caused Jack to blush profusely. Hopefully she wouldn't mention that to her long lost brother.

Eric, that was a thought. He just shows up here out of the blue. Jack wasn't sure if he could be trusted. He wasn't picking up any bad vibes from him, which was good, but he didn't trust his judgment nearly as much as he used to. If you had asked anyone his freshmen year, they'd tell you that he was a good judge of character. Ask the same people now and they'd probably tell you the exact same thing, but that was only because most civilians hadn't been there any of the times that all hell had been let loose, free to reach havoc on his life.

As much as his people skills had been proven wrong over the past two years, the one thing he still trusted was his gut. His gut had told him from the get go, that his life could never be normal again. After the game, he and Ellen had enjoyed a short-lived lie that they called peace. They both knew that it wasn't over just because the dragon said it was so. Then when they were forced to sign that treaty, everyone knew and he and Ellen's suspicion had, much to their dismay, been unfortunately proven correct.

Then the siege on Trinity had occurred. The worst day of his life had happened within that fight. He thought he had lost her, the person who was his whole reason for fighting, the reason that now he would keep fighting. Ellen in her life had never known peace, that much Jack knew, and he was willing to fight for the chance that she might find it some day, because she deserved to know what that felt like. What it felt like to wake up after noon, without being drenched in sweat from the nightmares. What it felt like to go on a date without being armed to the hilt. What it felt like to have a family. Of course the latter he wanted to have with her. He had been harboring the idea for quite some time.

Ellen was the one. He knew that without a doubt in his mind or soul. They were the last of their kind. That wasn't the reason he wanted to spend his life with her, but for arguments' sake it wouldn't hurt to keep it among the countless valid reasons. But with her brother's reappearance, it didn't seem appropriate to think about popping the question any time soon. A battle was coming, and that needed his full attention, but giving anything his full attention besides Ellen had proven to be almost entirely impossible these last few weeks.

The anticipation of a fight felt natural to him, but there was a new fear-taking root in his mind. The last time he had gone into battle he had almost lost her. What if this time around he really did? He could ask Ellen to sit it out, but what was the likelihood that she'd say yes? None. If he died in battle, Ellen would make it through. She was stronger than he ever had been or ever would be. Jack supposed that was because of all her hard knocks growing up as a modern day gladiator. But if Ellen died, Jack knew he wouldn't be able to endure that kind of pain, that kind of loneliness that could only come from the loss of a lover and friend, not to mention being the last of your kind.

To never see her, never be able to feel the rush he only felt after a bout with her, to never again be able to feel her against him. Never again being able to run his fingers through her hair. Never again being able to take her in his arms and kiss her until he couldn't last another second without air. To never be able to feel her fingers latch onto his belt loops, with the intention of prolonging an innocent good night kiss on the front porch. Never again to be able to see what she believed she could hide from the world, the tears that he could see glistening behind the walls of her eyes that she refused to let fall. All this he had thought as he carried her off of that last battlefield. Despair had clung to his very bones until a few days later, when he was able to convince himself that she truly was still alive and not just a fragment of his shattered hope.

If worst came to worst, he supposed that he could always slip her a dose of weirs bane and codeine to knock her out and leave her at home while the fighting was going on. Jack indulged in the idea for a moment, before hastily pushing it away, if he did that, if he survived the battle, she would probably kill him and would certainly never forgive him, but at least, Jack decided, she'd be alive.

Jack reached his and Ellen's favorite training ground just as the sky had forgotten it's sunrise and shed its' early morning crimson and traded it in for a pale blue.

"Jackson Swift," a voice said softly and Jack almost jumped out of his skin. He did a three sixty and saw no one.

"Where were you while we bled Jackson?" The voice was that of a child, but it seemed so old, the tone was that of an old woman scolding a disobedient grandchild. Jack scanned all the area around him and still saw nothing.

A hand came down on his shoulder, and he turned quickly to face whoever it was.

"Ellen?" Jack managed to choke out with relief. She cocked an eyebrow before replying.

"Who else would it be numb nut? I figured I'd find you out here. Your mom said you'd left early this morning." Ellen said, and seeing his flushed complexion added, "Hey are you alright? You looked like you just saw a ghost." Ellen paused before adding, "You know, one that wasn't in our army."

Jack cracked a smile at her comment. Three years ago he didn't believe in ghosts; this past year he had led an army of them. He shook off his nervousness. No sense in worrying Ellen over something that could very well turn out to be nothing.

"I'm good just jumpy as usual," replied Jack quickly. "You ready?" Jack asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, and lucky for you I'm out of practice." Ellen said as she unsheathed the Way Maker from its' scabbard. She grinned as he, fallowing her lead, brought out the Shadow Slyer and swung it in a figure eight arch in front of him, as a mock challenge, that he knew Ellen was all too ready too meet.

For the next hour and a half, they dodged, ducked, and parried each other, their muscles working like fine oiled machines. For them, the ring of steel was the best kind of music and the intricate dance was as familiar to them as their own heartbeats. When Ellen began to tire, Jack started to slow down considerably. It was her first time back out in the field after all. However, he quickly remembered why it was never wise to let your guard down around Ellen. Because as soon as he lowered his guard, he wound up on the ground, with both of his arms pinned by her knees and a knife to his throat just for good measure he supposed.

"I yield, you win." Jack said as he began to chuckle slightly. Ellen smirked.

"Serves you right for trying to go easy on me."

Jack rolled his eyes, as Ellen slid her knees off his arms and started to get up. Jack had a different plan though. Without giving Ellen so much as a second to react, grabbed her sides and flipped her over, so that this time he was on top, propping himself up by his elbows.

"Well hello there." Ellen said mischievously, with that rare twinkle in her eye, the one that was only used when she was with Jack.

He used one of his hands to brush a stand of loose hair off of her face, then bringing it down so that he could caress her cheek with his thumb. Her eyes met his and their gazed locked. He could see his own pain and passion reflected there, along with the glistening pride Ellen often had after winning a match.

Ellen's hands found their way to the back of his neck and her fingers began tracing invisible circles where his neck met his shoulder blade and Jack felt his breath catch in his throat. He loved being this close to her, seeing the sweat of her brow roll down her face, this was when Jack found her the most beautiful. Granted, neither of them usually smelled great after sparring, but most of the time they both were too tired to care and both to caught up in each other's gaze for it to register. Like now for instance.

There was never anytime to catch your breath around Ellen, he was either fighting to keep her at arms length in a bout or forgetting to breathe because he was holding onto her. Jack thought as he pulled his thumb across her bottom lip. She was so soft, that fact never ceased to amaze him. Her body was hardened by training and abuse from her childhood, but her skin remained like silk in comparison to his calloused hands. He always half expected her to pull away, but she never did.

Her hands pushed his head down, but he wasn't in a hurry, so he rested his forehead against hers' for a moment and closed his eyes, just content for the moment to listen to her breath. He moved his hand down and stroked her jaw line, before kissing her deeply. He ran his hands through her hair and pulled out her ponytail. She retaliated by grabbing a fistful of his shirt in order to pull him down closer. He turned off her and onto his side, never breaking the kiss, and wrapped his arms around her tightly and protectively.

"Hey when you're done can I have a go?"

At that Ellen and Jack rolled apart and Jack practically growled when he recognized the face as his stepbrother.

"Sorry man I really didn't know you were in the middle of gettin' some back here, dad sent me to find you." Sam said almost sheepishly, realizing then, how very up set he had just made Jack. And just how much bigger Jack was than him. Jack looked over at Ellen, and found that she was fuming. This place was kind of sacred to the both of them, a place they could just be warriors, where they didn't have to worry or pretend to be anything else than simply what they were. And now an uninvited outsider had disturbed it.

Ellen hoped up quickly after shooting Jack a look that he understood as I'm out for blood don't try and stop me. Jack nodded, technically he had warned this guy to leave her alone, but apparently he needed something a little more firm than a talking to. If Ellen wanted to beat the living day lights out of him, the last thing Jack was going to do was get in her way.

"Did you follow us here?" Ellen asked in a very cute, innocent voice. Sam apparently, being the idiot that he was interpreted it as flirting. Jack however, knowing better, interpreted it as I'm fixing the cut this boy down to size. So, Jack knowing Ellen as well as he did, didn't move from his spot on the ground, but instead propped his elbows up and leaned back to enjoy the show. He watched as Ellen placed a hand on the center of Sam's chest and pushed him backwards against the tree.

"You must be very smart to have found our little hide out." Ellen practically cooed.

"Well, uh it wasn't all that hard," he replied in a bit of a stutter.

"Whatever can I do to convince you to keep it a secret?" Ellen asked as she batted her eyelashes seductively.

"Um, well, I mean I could, probably think of something."

Ellen replied by laughing innocently and saying " I bet you could."

Then she leaned in toward him, like she was fixing to kiss him, and head butted him hard on the forehead.

Ellen turned and started back toward Jack as Sam gripped his head pathetically and moaned, "Why… you little…"

But Ellen turned around and cut him off. "What was that?"

Sam had regained his posture somewhat and repeated himself; "I said that you're a bi-" He never got to finished Ellen sent a roundhouse kick into his groin. Upon impact Sam screamed bloody murder, and hit the ground, and Jack winced despite himself. He was thankful that to this day he had yet to be on the receiving end of that move.

"That's what I thought you said." Said Ellen, after that she half way strutted back to Jack, who was in the process of getting up.

"Beautiful and deceptively deadly." Jack said as she approached him.

"And that's why you love me." Ellen replied, in a very matter of fact sounding tone.

"Well can you blame me?" Jack asked cocking an eyebrow while waiting for a response.

At that Ellen laughed out loud. It was such a beautiful sound; Jack swore he had to be grinning from ear to ear. "No, I guess I can't." Ellen said through her laughter, as she laced her fingers through his.

"Dad is going to hear about this Jack." Sam whimpered loudly.

"Oh I bet he will Sam. And I don't care, but I suggest icing that before you do anything else when you got home." Jack said as he smirked. After giving that final comment Jack and Ellen left the clearing and Sam wallowing in pain. At the time they were blissfully unaware that Sam had not been the only one to find their secret meeting place, because unknown to them, a lone figure stood, hidden behind a vale of bushes, where he would remain, biding his time.

(A/N) I have the next chapter written already (That should, however not keep you from reviewing this one) Because I WILL NOT post the next chapter until I get at least 5 more reviews….


	11. Chapter 11 day before M gets shot

(A/N) I usually start out my little note by saying sorry for the long wait but it hasn't been that long cuz guess what? NO WRITERS BLOCK ! so back to Leesha in this chapter nothing to important pretty mush a filler chap…. Before the really good stuff starts going down…. Mawahaha

Leesha lay on her bed in her apartment, staring at the ceiling. She was going to see a doctor to get a sonogram that day. She was going to get to see her child's heartbeat for the first time. Although she was excited, she was at the same time jittery. After all, she had no business trying to be a mother. Did she? Looking back at her life, she had made mostly bad choices. Jason was the only good decision she had ever made, but she had managed to even mess that up.

Her head spun slightly as a wave of nausea hit her and she bolted for the bathroom. It wasn't the first time she'd had morning sickness, but it was something that she doubted she'd ever get used to. It was just another unpleasant reminder that she was going to be a mother soon.

The timing of her pregnancy couldn't have been worse, come to think about it. Ellen had been over the day before, bearing the unfortunate news that the war was not over. That, however, had not been the surprising part. What shocked Leesha was that Ellen was checking in on her.

Ellen had confessed that she had found Leesha's pregnancy test on the concrete a few weeks earlier. She was genuinely concerned for her. It was the surprise of her life; someone honestly cared about her. Leesha had a friend - no strings attached, no alternative motives, no hidden reason. Just an actual friend. Or at least someone who was offering friendship, and her name was Ellen Stephenson. A girl who, not too long ago, would have looked for any excuse to kill her. They had been rivals since the beginning, having dated the same boy.

She had even offered to drive Leesha to the doctor, an offer that she readily took her up on. If she knew one thing above all else, it was the fact that she was very tired of being alone. Even though, technically, for the next six months she would never be completely alone.

Leesha wondered what her child would be like. If it would be a boy or a girl, would he or she take after her or the father? The most important question that she was asking herself repeatedly was whether she would be a good mother. The answer to that question, she feared, was obviously no.

Sighing, Leesha dug through her drawers to try and find a pair of jeans that would still fit. She finally settled on a pair of old sweatpants, but even those probably wouldn't last long. She needed to go shopping, but she would need to find a job first.

It should be easy enough for a beautiful young wizard to find a job, right? That's what she had thought at first, but she quickly found out how very wrong she was. She couldn't just bat her eyelashes and get what she wanted anymore.

Before three or four months ago, Leesha hadn't given much thought to what she was going to do with her life. She had guessed that whenever she needed money she could just round up an Anawizard Weir and sell it to the Trade. But after everything she had been through the last few months, she couldn't do that with a good conscience anymore.

Ha. She, Leesha Middleton, had a conscience. She would've laughed out loud at the very thought had someone suggested it to her a year ago.

So much had changed, and the changes she knew, at least for her life, were just merely beginning.

A knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts. She almost jumped out of her skin. Grabbing her purse, Leesha took a momen to look at herself in the mirror.

Well, she thought, into the unknown again.

_

(In the Doctors office)

She stared at the picture on the monitor. Her baby. She and Jason had unknowingly created this life. She smiled. The doctor was talking, but she wasn't paying attention. All she could see at that moment was her child.

For the first time since she had lost Jason, she smiled. And she hoped that wherever Jason was he was smiling too.

"Ms. Middleton, did you hear a word of what I just said?" asked the doctor.

"Oh, ah, no ... sorry, zoned out for a minute."

"That's quite all right, it happens to every new mother. I was saying that their heartbeats are good and strong."

"What did you say?" Leesha asked.

"I said that their heartbeats are strong."

"Their ... as in, more than one?"

"Yes, I said that. Congratulations, you are going to be the mother of twins."

"What!" At the moment, she was sure that the entire world could hear her heart racing.

"I said that -"

"I heard what you said!" Leesha shouted at the doctor, cutting off whatever he was about to say next.

(A/N) This is the part where I usually beg for reviews but I think I'll just give my good buddy Elmo a flame thrower and the cookie monster an AK (he is still mad from being demoted to the veggie monster you see) and I'll let them talk for me…. I am already half a page into the next chapter which will involve Hastings and Linda..


	12. Chap 12 still the day before M gets shot

(Hastings POV)

How Linda was able to fall asleep so easily on planes Hastings would never know. Planes made him nervous and at times nauseous. She looked so peaceful, with her head resting on his shoulder. He couldn't believe after all this time she was finally back where she belonged; right next to him. Only God could count the number of mistakes he had made with her. But then again she wasn't so perfect either, leaving in the dead of night without so much as a goodbye. All he got was one measly note that read, "don't think about trying to find me." The next word he had received from her was a frantic letter about Jack, begging him to come to down to Trinity.

Then the following year he had made a shocking discovery; he was a father, and had been one for quite some time. Seph was his first and so far only son. He wanted to try for another, but Linda wasn't ready. And that was fine with him. Really he wasn't in any hurry. He had missed the majority of his son's life and he wasn't about to miss any more of it. Linda felt the same way, which was the main reason for their quick return to Trinity.

Seph had called about a week before, telling them that Maddie had said yes. He was ecstatic for his son even though Seph had asked them to keep their mouths shut about it for the time being. Linda had cried, not on the phone of course, but as soon as he hung up the phone, she had burst into tears and then of course she had started talking about grandchildren. He had laughed at that point, and asked her who needed grandchildren when they could still have some more kids of their own. It was her turn to laugh at his words this time. He had approached her with this subject before and had gotten more or less the same answer.

Leander sighed, they had only taken off from the London airport about twenty minutes ago and already Linda was fast asleep. The thirteen hour flight had just gotten a lot longer, because now, he had only his thoughts to keep him company.  
_

(Eric POV)

_ They were at the park, he and Ellen, he was pushing her on the swing. _

"_Higher, higher!" She kept insisting, much to her older brothers' dismay. _

_ "No way you'll fall out." He replied._

_ "Humph….", was all he got in return. _

_ "I'll tell you what, when you get big enough to push yourself you can go higher and higher until you hit a tree branch okay?" He said sounding bored and slightly annoyed. _

_ Suddenly his mother came running. "Eric Ellen hurry." _

_ "Moma whats going on?" asked Ellen as her brother picked her up out of the swing. They were walking fast now, and she was struggling to keep up with Eric and her mother, who were both clutching one of her hands tightly. But suddenly her mother let go and had them pile into a car. As soon as she had Ellen situated in the backseat she climbed in the front seat of the car and started driving. _

_Once she was sure that the hum of the car had lulled Ellen to sleep she started talking to him, very sereously. _

_ "You know the spot I told you about?" His mother asked him._

_ "Yes, but mom what is this about? Is it about what I saw the other night?"_

_ "No."_

_ "You didn't believe what I told you did you?" _

"_Do you remember when I told you and your sister were special?" _

"_Yeah sure mom, all moms tell their kids that."_

"_But I meant it in a way that you can't imagine, you and your sister are very different. You can see things before that happen Eric and Ellen she, well she is very strong._

"_She's five, how can anyone be powerful at five? What's going on?_

_ "You and your sister, our family, we are part of an unseen culture."_

_ "What?"_

_ "You my little man, are a seer."_

_ "A what? You mean I'm not human?"_

_ "You are human, 100%, don't let anyone ever tell you different." _

"_Okay, sure, so what's a seer?"_

"_Someone who can see events before they happen."_

"_Are you one to?"_

"_No, you take after my mother, I didn't get the gene."_

"_Is Ellen?"_

"_No, you asked if this was about you earlier; it's not. It's about her." His mother paused not sure what to say next. "There are some very bad people out their Eric the world is full of evil powerful people."_

"_You mean perverts? Is that what this is about?"_

"_Not exactly. There are lots of different kinds of people in this world, some like you, are Seers, but that not the only brand of "different" that people ware. There are also enchanters, that could trick you out of your own eye balls if they wanted to, and there are also sorsers who work with earth magic… and…"_

_She was going to continue but Eric cut her off by saying " Magic? Awsome! If magic is real than there must be wizards too right? Like in the dragon story dad tells us sometimes?" he asked excitedly. _

"_Unfortunantly so."_

"_So the story is true then? All of it?_

"_Yes, but don't look so excited, all of the story is true, including the part where the underguilds' were tricked into allowing the wizard to rule them."_

"_What? Are the wizards all bad or something?" Asked Eric while giving his mother a questioning stare. _

"_Most of them are; they are the bad people I was telling you about."_

"_What does all this have to do with Ellen? Do they want her or something?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because of what she is. Your sister is a warrior." His mother chocked out as if she was struggling to hold back tears. _

"_Mom I repeat she's only five. How can a five year old be a soldier?"_

"_I didn't say she was a soldier, because she isn't – I mean she would have been if she'd been born three hundred years ago," she wasn't making any since, "no I wouldn't say soldier, warriors, they, I mean they're closer to gladeatores these days."_

"_Mom what do you mean? Whose going to put a little girl in a ring and tell her to kill someone?"_

"_The Roses." replied his mother, solemnly. "There are two opposing wizard houses; the red rose and the white rose. They don't agree on anything, and that's why they need warriors."_

"_They don't fight their own battles?" _

"_Oh they did at one point, but"_

"_But what?" Eric asked impatantly, this was a lot to take in, but he wanted the truth, the whole truth; more than he had gotten so far anyway._

"_They almost destroyed all of England, and themselves along with it. They realized then if they didn't stop there wouldn't be any of the world left to control. Magic can be beautiful Eric, but if not used for the right things, the results are often times devastating. So out of no murcy for humanity but rather to spare their own flesh and blood a solution was cleverly devised."_

"_What was it? The solution I mean." Eric asked eagerly. _

"_The game." Tears sprouted to her eyes. She wiped them away with her hand, trying to hide them from the eyes of her ever watchfull son. But in doing so she smeared her eyeliner and mascara._

"_A game? Are you sireus. So what? Do they just sit around and play Monopaly?" He said with hopeful but sarcastic voice. Eric had thought at least, that his comment would get his mother to smile for a moment but her face remained strained and sorrowful. _

"_Not a game, The Game. The name is sick when you think about it. The Game is a tournoment in which each house sponsers a single warrior to fight." _

"_So how do they know who wins? Does one of them tap out or something?"_

"_The game ends, only after life has been lost on the playing field, it is a fight to the death." At his mothers words Erics' stomach dropped._

"_She's just a little kid. A little girl." He stopped for a moment to look back at his sister who was sleeping blissfully in ignorance in the back seat. "S-she plays with dolls and has to be pushed on the swing. Elli, she's not a killer mom."_

_ "If either house finds her… She will be."_

_ "But she's a girl, they don't make girls fight do they?"_

_ "That only makes matters worse." Replied his mother in a salumn tone._

The alarm clock rang loudly and Eric shot up abruptly awakened from his dream. He breathed heavily, he wasn't particulary fond of that memory. He hadn't heard from or seen his mother since that day. He got up and headed toward the bathroom with the intention of taking a hot shower. He stopped and looked at himself in the mirror. A lot had changed since that fateful day so long ago. His body had changed for sure. That's what being a slave did to you. It changed you. He had scars lining his back and torso and sported the brand of the white rose on his shoulder. Yes he had changed. If he had been who he was today when she had been taken she never would have been.

He sighed as the thought. No use dwelling on it he supposed. He would always wish he could go back and change things, but he wasn't capable of that, no one was. He hadn't thought of his mother in ages, he wasn't even sure if she was still alive. He hoped she was, as faint as that hope might be, he clung to it.

(A/N)

SORRY bout the extremely long wait….. PLEASE REVIEW…


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